Signal device



Feb. 4, 1941. RITTENHQUSE 2,230,762

SIGNAL DEVICE Filed June 5, 1939 m5 5 VENTOR.

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Patented Feb. 4, 1941 UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE t s 2,230,762 p SIGNAL DEVICE, Lloyd Rittenhouse, Honeoye Falls, N. Y., assignor [to The'A. E.Rittenhouse Co., Inc., Honeoye' Falls, N. Y., a corporation oi New York Application June 1939, Serial No. 271,474

] Claims.

This invention relates to improvementsinsignal devices, with particular reference to the type of construction including a housing with a chime bar or element secured exteriorly of the housing 5 and an electrically operated striker mechanism such as a solenoid arranged within the housing, and it has for its object to afforda compact construction that is of neat and ornamental appearance, eiiicient in operation, and can be manuw factured and assembled at a low cost.

A further purpose of theinvention is to provide a structure embodying a housing including front and back walls which are held in operative relation by any suitable means permitting ready 15 assembly, and in whichthe front and back walls maintain or clamp the solenoid in operative, position without the need of additional, attaching means, thesolenoid being independent of both the front and back walls and held in operative go position by said walls when they are,assembled. A further object of the inventionis to aiford a construction in which a proper signal or tone can be had by locating an opening in the frontwall at one end of the housing opposite the adjacent 25 end of the chime bar or element, while locating the solenoid or striker-operating means centrally of the chamber with its plunger tubelocated in and extending through a central opening in the front wall of the housing. i l

, so An additional purpose of the inventionisto afford a construction of housing and-separable back wall that permits 'of readily assembling the parts and easily installing a unit in operative position on a wall or suitable support, with the .35 operating mechanism all spaced from the wall andcompletely housed and protected.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts that will appear from the following description 40 when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, the novel features being poin ed out in the claims following the specification.

In the drawing: Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of a signal 45 device incorporating one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same on line 2- of F18. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the removable back 50 plate showing the position of the solenoid and plunger tube as it is about to be assembled and positioned in the housing in operative relation to the front and back walls thereof;

Fig. 4 is a detailed sectional view through the plunger tube of the solenoid;

= which like reference characters refer to the same partsthroughout the several views, the structure shown, which is exemplary of oneembodiment of the invention, includes a housing comprising a 10 curvedfront wall I and flat end walls 2 and 3, the end. wall 2 being-closed and the end wall 3 having one or more sound-emitting openings! therein;

' Secured tothe front walll a chime element .orbar 5 mounted as usual in this class of devices,

and G is an opening at one end of the front wall opposite the adjacent end of the chime bar 5, the space 1 within the housing thus serving as a resonancechamber when the chime bar is struck to give a musical noteor signal. The end 2 of the housing includes an upwardly extending lug 8 by which the unit can be secured to a wall or other suitable support.

The front wall I has a central inwardly-embossed flat portion 9 having an opening arranged centrally thereof, while Ill designates the removable back wallwhich also preferably has a central embossed portion ll having a' central opening therein, said openings in the front and back walls being adapted to'receive the tube l2 fixedly arranged within the solenoid coil l3 which constitutes the electrical striker operating means.

Arranged for movement within the tube I2 is a solenoid plunger ll carrying the striker tip I5 that is movable outwardly to engage the chime bar 5 when the solenoid is energized. I B is a spring held within the outer end of the tube l2 and acting to move the striker out of engagement with the chime bar after the signal is given, while 40 I1 is a plug of felt or other suitable material held within the inner end of; the tube I! by means of a removable spring cap [8 for keeping the plunger within the tube I2. The solenoid l3 includes disks l9 at the ends of the coil surrounding the tube l2, which latter is adapted to fit closely within the central openings in the back and front walls I and I0 while the disks l9 abut the central embossed portions 9 and II.

The solenoid is separable from the front and back walls and is held in operative position by being clamped therebetween. The back wall ll includes outwardly extending flanges 20 at its. outer edge, said flanges being adapted to engage the spring locking lugs 2| which are struck inu wardly from the end walls 2 and Q- j 'lh 'nosltion of the lugs 2| with relation to the flanges '20 is such that the back-wall when pushed inwardly will Just clear the 1ugs2 land be retained thereby nate the usual binding posts or connections for;

the conductors, connection 24 being associated with the conductor 25 leading to the solenoid coil. With the parts in the position shown in' Fig. 3, the solenoid being loosely arranged on the back wall, the back wall and solenoid are inserted into the housing from the rear thereof and the solenoid manipulated until the front end of the tube 12 enters the central opening in the front wall I, as shown in Fig. 2. Then the back wall is forced inwardlyas far as it will go over the springlugs 2| until thelatt'er engage the flanges 20 and hold the back wall in operative position with the solenoid fixedly retained between the front and back walls.

With the parts in this assembled relation, when the solenoidcircuit is closed, the striker moves outwardly through the tube I2 located in the central opening of the front wall I and engages the chime bar 5, and the vibrations therein set up are transmitted through the opening 6 into the resonance chamber I, the sound being emit- 85' ted through the opening 8 and openings 4.

Itwill be observed that the end walls 2 and 3 are of suilicient width so that when the back wall is inserted and occupies its locked position, the inner end of the tube 12 and thespring cap I8 do not extend beyond the rear edges of the housing. Thus the latter can be positioned against a wall or support without having to provide an opening therein to accommodate the solenoid tube. r

' This construction avoids the necessity of permanently attaching the solenoid by brackets or otherwise to a part of the housing and affords ,a construction in which the parts can be manufactured at a minimum cost and readily assembled, resulting in an extremely low priced, ellicient, and ornate chime signal. a

While-the invention has been described with relation to the particular construction and arrangement hereindisclosed, it is not confined to the details set forth, and this application is intended, to cover any modifications or changes coming within the purposes of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I'claim:

1.' In a signal device, the combination with a housing including front and back walls having 5 opposite openings therein, of a solenoid held between said front and back walls and including a plunger tube extending through said openings, a chime element secured to the front wall, said front wall having a sound opening opposite a 10 portion of the chime element, and means acting to hold the back wall in operativeposition and thereby clamp the solenoid against the front wall.

2. In a signal device, the combination with a 15 7 housing including front and back walls and end walls, the front wall having a central opening therein, a solenoid located within said housing in contact, with the front and back walls and having a plunger tube extending through and fitting 20 closely in said opening, and a chime element se- 7 cured to the front wall, said front wall having opening, and a chime element secured to the frontwall, said front wall having a sound opening opposite a portion of the chime element.

4. In a signal device, the combination with a 5 housing including separable front and back walls having oppositely disposed central openings therein, of a solenoid held between said front and back walls and having a plunger tube extending through said openings, a chime element 0 secured to the front wall, said front wall having a sound opening opposite a portion of the chime element, and retaining, means engageable with said separable back wall acting to hold it in operative position against the solenoid and in spaced relation to the rear edge of the housing.

5. In a signal device, the combination with a housing including front and back walls, the front wallhaving a central opening therein, of a solenoid held between the front and back walls and including a plunger tube extending through said 50 opening, and means acting tohold the back wall in operative position and to clamp the solenoid against the front wall. 

